Mission

Narva and Ivangorod. Two neighbouring towns like any other. They live peacefully together and cooperate. Two fortresses are looking to each other. Most of the citizens have relatives in the other town. The towns have common history, and they have a good relationship. There is only one thing that separates them – the border. This border is not only a border between two countries, Estonia and Russia, but also the border between the European Union and the Russian Federation. If you want to cross it, you will need a visa and you are going to wait for several hours in long queues. To get your visa you have to apply for it weeks before you are planning to visit the other side. This is a big obstacle if you want to visit your family, go to work or on holiday. If you were a Russian grandparent and your grandchild had been born on the Estonian side, you would not have been able to visit him whenever you want, because if you want to get visa, you must apply for it for a specific date.

In our exhibition we want to express that the border life is not always easy, but has its advantages, too. It does not only concern the border life of countries but also our daily borders that we sometimes not even pay attention to. Our life is full of borders, for example streets you have to cross, fences in a park or mental borders. By using the subtopics communication, relationships, traditions, and past – present – future, we also want to show the invisible borders between people.
The border between Estonia and Russia is a natural border – a river. The fact that there is a bridge between the two countries made us think of bridges between people that can and do exist. Therefore our pictures are meant to be a motivation for speaking to each other, crossing the border and trying to build bridges in order to live peacefully together. Every one of us should build and restore these bridges.